Clean out

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Why do I need it. Why don't I have one. Does the size matter?

What else can I do to clean my drain.

You need a clean out because it is a place where a plumber or drain cleaner can insert a steel cable, commonly known as a "snake" to clear an obstruction in a drain line.
Cleanout also is the proper name of the fitting that is used, as seen below.
It's common for people to walk right by a cleanout for years and never really notice it. If you move to a new place, it's a great time to take note of all of your cleanouts before you hide them with your stuff.
        It is possible that you don't have a cleanout for a specific drain but more likely it has been hidden or covered. Sometimes they are in inconvenient places, like behind a water heater or toilet or inside a clothes closet or the cabinets under the kitchen sink. And you may not have one for specific drains because it is not always required.
Close up of a cleanout.
       Does size matter? Yes. Each cable is only able to clean a specific size pipe. The bigger the cleanout you have will enable the use of a larger diameter and longer in length cable. Also the bigger the cable the bigger size of cutter blades you can use with it.
       In older homes or high rise apartments you may find the cleanouts made of cast iron but more likely they will be made out of plastic. If you do have cast iron it is a good bet that the plug is plastic. If not then it will probably be brass. If that is the case it may be a bigger deal than usual because the plug may have to be cut out and replaced with a new one. If your not sure that you can remove it be sure that you ask for an estimate to have it removed before the technician gets there to rooter the line. Close up of an ABS cleanout tee.
It may not seem like a big deal but if he shows up without a power saw to remove it , it could be.
       If you don't have a readily accessible cleanout the plumber can remove the trap and enter the pipe there, but it makes it difficult to run water into the drain while he is cleaning it and that is the best way to clean the pipe. Some drain cleaning people still access the pipes through the vents on the roof but there is too much liability for most. The yellow circles designate where the trap can be disconnected to allow the plumber to rooter the line in lack of a cleanout. If you have an all glued system the pipe will need to be cut and then joined with a coupling, union or no hub type fitting.
       After your drain line is cleaned with a cable it is a good idea to ues a biodegradable enzyme based drain cleaner.

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